Endoscopic duct obstruction in chronic pancreatitis.

Ligation of Wirsung's duct or obstruction with a glue may be an alternative to pancreatectomy in patients with intractable pain due to chronic relapsing pancreatitis. In 10 patients obstruction of Wirsung's duct was performed via endoscopic retrograde instillation of an alcoholic aminoacid solution into the ductal system. All patients became free of symptoms within one week; no complications were seen. Long-term follow-up data, however, suggest that clinical improvement may be persistent in only about 50 per cent of the patients. Further data are necessary before endoscopic obstruction of Wirsung's duct can be recommended as a conservative method in the treatment of chronic pancreatitis.